Chapter 132: Drafty

Under the porridge shed.

Wang Daosheng was giving porridge to the disaster victims.

Zhang Zhuo picked up a clay bowl and boldly stretched it out in front of Wang Daosheng.

Wang Daosheng calmly glanced at him and silently used a wooden spoon to fill the clay bowl.

Zhang Zhuo tilted his head and gulped the thin porridge into his mouth. Then, he wiped his beard with the sleeve of his red official robe.

He casually threw the clay bowl onto the blue brick stove platform and asked curiously, "You didn't take my daughter to Lu Hun Mountain Villa for a study tour? How did you end up at this porridge shed? I heard that people from the two great Taoist courts of Huangshan and Laojunshan, as well as the high monks from Yuanjue Temple and Tuoluosi Temple, have all arrived this time. There are wonderful scripture debates every day. Why are you leading them here to waste time?"

Wang Daosheng continued to give porridge to the disaster victims while casually replying, "Life is the best scripture! Initially, the ancient sages wrote scriptures, and their principles were all learned from life. Rather than following ancient sages in books to learn principles, it's better to learn directly from life, which is a more direct path to the original meaning."

Zhang Zhuo stroked his beard. "If you said less such heretical words, Hu Ge Lao wouldn't always criticize you. People, ah, when you should hide your brilliance, then hide it. As students, we shouldn't always go against our own teachers."

Wang Daosheng responded as light as wind and clouds, "You've come to teach me instead."

Zhang Zhuo chuckled and pointed his chin towards Chen Ji's side. "What do you think of that boy?"

Wang Daosheng calmly said, "Why are you asking this?"

Zhang Zhuo raised his eyebrows. "Can't I ask?"

Wang Daosheng casually said, "Actually, you already have the answer in your heart. Asking me is just to verify the answer in your heart. But what I say may not necessarily match your intentions."

Zhang Zhuo was impatient. "Then tell me."

Wang Daosheng glanced at Chen Ji, then turned his head and said to Zhang Zhuo, "This child has a killing aura about him."

Zhang Zhuo was startled and carefully examined Wang Daosheng. "People who lead soldiers are indeed a bit different, ah. You can even see this?"

Wang Daosheng scooped a spoon of rice porridge and filled the clay bowl in the disaster victim's hand. "He entered school for two days, then was late twice. When I asked him why he was late, he wasn't willing to say. But I see him every time with a killing aura. He doesn't look like he came to school, more like those foot soldiers of mine who just killed Japanese pirates, with blood still on their bodies."

Zhang Zhuo shook his head. "He may not be a foot soldier. A thousand troops are easy to get, but one general is hard to find. If you worked with him, you would understand that he is a general talent."

"You indeed evaluate him very highly." Wang Daosheng thought for a moment. "So, the person who delayed the disaster victims outside the west city gate the other day was him?"

Zhang Zhuo hurriedly said, "No."

Wang Daosheng laughed. "You worked with him. That day he entered school late in the morning and is so highly valued by you. If not him, then who?"

Zhang Zhuo was vigilant. "You may not have designs on him."

Wang Daosheng was helpless. "What designs could I have on him? Just collecting his tuition and teaching him principles, that's all."

Zhang Zhuo suddenly asked, "Has your mourning period ended?"

Wang Daosheng nodded. "Yesterday."

Zhang Zhuo asked again, "What official position did Hu Ge Lao arrange for you?"

Wang Daosheng casually said, "Teacher hopes I return to the capital, serve as Minister of War and concurrently Scholar of the Hanlin Academy."

"What?" Zhang Zhuo raised his voice. Seeing that the disaster victims were looking towards them, he quickly lowered his voice. "How can you be consecutively promoted two levels to Minister of War? Next, aren't you going to enter the cabinet?"

Wang Daosheng did not answer this question. He just looked at Chen Ji from afar and suddenly said, "He is indeed a warm-hearted person."

Zhang Zhuo also looked towards Chen Ji. After a moment, he sighed, "This time he's a bit overly warm-hearted. He's not usually like this."

At this time, Chen Ji was scooping porridge for the disaster victims one by one. In just half an hour, the original cherry-red furnace fire in his body had gradually turned to light red. Within the flames, a wisp of yellow flame, fine as a silk thread, seemed to be nurturing.

Chen Ji felt the surging vitality, as if he had gained a new life. Even his breathing seemed to flow with fire.

He suddenly realized.

The Mountain Lord swallowing the dragon and the official's body having an ice flow are concrete dragon qi. However, the heart of the common people holds the root of dragon qi, which is what makes a country a country.

No wonder old man Yao, after practicing the Mountain Lord path, already upholds the identity of an imperial physician. Presumably, when he treats diseases and saves people, the furnace fire in his body will also have the same change.

But why didn't master tell him about this?

Is it that he doesn't want him to discover this secret?

No, there must be another reason.

The big pot in front of Chen Ji was already empty. If he wanted to cook porridge again, it would take two incense sticks' time.

He looked at the disaster victims lined up in front, each holding a new clay bowl.

He came to Bai Li's side and said, "You go and rest for a while. I'll come and help you."

Bai Li was surprised. "Ah...really?" She looked at the others and said, "But everyone is still busy. It's not appropriate for me to rest alone."

Chen Ji said with a smile, "It doesn't matter. You can secretly rest on the side."

Bai Li moved aside a bit and hesitated before asking, "Why don't you go and help my brother?"

Chen Ji explained, "The World Son is a bit stronger and can temporarily hold on. I'll go and help him later when he can't persist anymore."

Bai Li drew out a long "Oh."

Chen Ji picked up the wooden spoon and neatly scooped rice porridge for the disaster victims one spoon after another.

That wisp of yellow flame became more and more obvious, as if a golden dragon was wandering in the power of the red fire.

After finishing distributing the big pot of porridge for Princess Bai Li, he ran to help the World Son.

The World Son rubbed his arm and immediately gave a thumbs up. "Jianghu children are righteous!"

After the porridge in the World Son's pot was also distributed, Chen Ji leisurely came to Chen Wenxiao's side.

Chen Wenxiao had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Seeing him come, he immediately handed out the wooden spoon.

Chen Ji raised his eyebrows. "Why give me the spoon? Do your own things."

Chen Wenxiao was puzzled. "Aren't you here to help?"

Chen Ji shook his head. "No, I'm just watching."

Chen Wenxiao: "?"

Chen Ji stood aside. Every time Chen Wenxiao distributed a spoon of porridge, the disaster victims would quickly thank him, and he would immediately preemptively say with a smile, "No need to be polite."

After saying it more, Chen Wenxiao couldn't help but question, "I'm distributing porridge here, what kind of good person are you pretending to be?"

But Chen Ji still didn't pay attention to Chen Wenxiao.

He had already confirmed that even if he didn't distribute porridge, as long as the disaster victims acknowledged from their hearts that he had a share in this good deed, the furnace fire would transform a bit.

However, there was still one condition for the transformation: the recipient must know his identity for it to happen.

Chen Ji took a deep breath. The essence of the Mountain Lord path was far deeper than he had imagined.

It's just, what is the use of the transformed furnace fire?

This matter probably needs to be asked of Xuanyuan.

While thinking, Zhang Zhuo led the officers over and said happily, "Everyone has worked hard. We have already registered and made a list of the disaster victims. Next, we will distribute the porridge."

Wang Daosheng handed the spoon to an officer and patiently admonished, "We must not let things like forced marriages or exchanging children for food happen."

Zhang Zhuo responded with a smile, "Rest assured." Then, he seemed to sigh. "If only I could also put aside my worldly affairs and go with you all. When I was young, listening to scripture debates was like drinking nectar. If I heard where there was a scripture debate, I would rush to listen even without eating or drinking. Now I can't free myself."

"Fish and bear paw cannot be had at the same time. What you are doing now is more important." Wang Daosheng waved to his disciples. "Let's go."

Chen Ji was still not satisfied, but there was no better reason to stay, so he reluctantly left.

When he passed by Chen Wenzong, the other person suddenly cupped his hands and bowed to him. "Third brother, today when distributing porridge, I saw you weren't afraid of hardship and treated the disaster victims with the warmth of a spring breeze. This made me realize how much I misunderstood you in the past. In the coming days, you and I, the three brothers, are all under Master Wang's tutelage. We must support each other more. If there are scriptures you don't understand, you can all come and ask me. Although you missed this imperial examination, three years from now will be your time to shine."

Chen Ji looked at him strangely and perfunctorily said, "Okay!"

This time, everyone walked behind the ox cart. Even Chen Wenzong and Chen Wenxiao did not ride on the ox cart.

On the ox cart, only Jing Wang was left with his hat brim lowered, driving the ox cart alone with his back to the crowd.

After walking several hundred steps, Bai Li's eyes suddenly flashed with brightness. "Since we are walking to Lu Hun Mountain Villa, why don't we let the ox cart and the carter return to Luocheng? There's no need for them to be with us."

However, Jing Wang's action of waving the whip suddenly stiffened. Then, he fiercely whipped the ox cart, pretending he heard nothing.

Bai Li continued to say to Master Wang, "Master, everyone says that reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles."

Before she could finish her words, Jing Wang, who wasn't even driving the ox, stood up, jumped off the ox cart, and swung the whip towards Bai Li.

Bai Li hurriedly hid behind Chen Ji and the World Son, pulling the arms of the two people, revealing half of her small face from the gap. "The carter is hitting people."

Jing Wang gritted his teeth. "You little padded jacket are leaking wind, ah."

The World Son clearly saw the face under the hat brim and exclaimed, "Dad?"

When Jing Wang heard the World Son's call, he immediately became furious and chased the other person all over the ground. "Just because you've come of age, does that mean I can't manage you?"

The World Son said angrily, "Bai Li framed me."

Chen Ji and Zhang Xiaomu stared with their mouths open.

Zhang Xia looked at Chen Ji. "Do Jing Wang, the World Son, and the Princess usually get along like this?"

Chen Ji hesitated. "The World Son and the Princess don't make trouble every day either."

Wang Daosheng smiled bitterly and stopped Jing Wang. "You are really something. You even deceived me. If we met bad people, how would I explain it to the Wangfu and the court?"

Jing Wang stopped panting and sighed, "After all, I'm getting old, ah. I can't even beat my own son."

Bai Li cautiously approached. "Dad, I truly don't want you to patrol privately in disguise. Yesterday, you caught a cold and fainted. Imperial Physician Yao hurriedly entered the Wangfu and guarded you for three hours. Now you are out. If something happens again, what will we do without Imperial Physician Yao by your side?"

He directly raised his hand to stop her. "Don't you see that Dad is fine now? Yesterday I was just taking a nap. Your mother made a fuss."

Bai Li examined him suspiciously. At this moment, Jing Wang's face was indeed ruddy, not looking like he had just recovered from a serious illness.

She looked at Chen Ji for help.

Chen Ji didn't say a word.

He was thinking about a problem. If Jing Wang was really just taking a nap, how could his master possibly stay in the Wangfu for three hours without coming out?

So, Jing Wang's illness was certainly real.

But since Jing Wang was sick, why did he still insist on patrolling privately in disguise? Unless he had a reason that he had to come.

Wang Daosheng thought for a moment and said, "Everyone get on the cart. Since we are already out, there is no reason to return halfway. You all must not mention Wangye's identity to outsiders. Just treat him as a carter."

***